Northampton County Gets Another 911 Pitch Contractor Assures Council The $47.3 Million Price Is Fair. Members Debate Withdrawing From The Deal.

February 02, 1996|by MATT ASSAD, The Morning Call

SHL Systemhouse officials left Northampton County Council chambers last night confident they had polished the company's tattered reputation, but whether they saved their $47 million 911 project remains in question.

Armed with slides and videos, well-dressed executives from SHL of Robbinsville, N.J., appeared to convince most council members they are capable of bringing the county one of the state's safest 911 systems.

Despite promising that the county would never pay a penny more than the $47.3 million contract price, SHL was not so successful at convincing council the county is getting a good deal.

"I would have never agreed to the contract you guys got," said Councilman Ronald Heckman. "I don't know if you wrote it and the County Executive (Bill Brackbill) just signed it, but I know we weren't included."

Though SHL appeared to relieve many of the fears produced by its West Coast division's nearly seven years of problems upgrading the Los Angeles fire department communications, Brackbill's signing of the 10-year deal before council could review it continues to be the main sticking point.

Council President Glenn F. Reibman, after the 3-1/2-hour meeting, suggested the county terminate its contract with SHL -- if it can be done without major cost -- and put the plan out for competitive bid.

"They told us we could terminate without penalty," Reibman said. "If that's true, then we should do it. It's certainly a matter I intend to discuss at future meetings."

Other council members, including Peg Ferraro and Diane Elliott, were more convinced that SHL is the best company to bring 911 to the county.

Last night supporters on council and in the community once again chose sides, starting with Ferraro's request that Councilman Richard Weaver -- a sure vote against the plan -- be forbidden from voting on it. As a Bangor borough employee and a former member of Blue Mountain Control Centre's board, he has the same conflict of interest that prompted Councilman Michael Corriere two weeks ago to withdraw from 911 discussions, Ferraro argued. Corriere works for the law firm that represents Hellertown, the first municipality to sign onto the proposed plan.

Council solicitor Karl Longenbach will issue an opinion on whether a conflict exists.

SHL has been contracted to provide the personnel and equipment for what would be the state's first privately operated 911 center. However, Brackbill has been facing resistance from Slate Belt communities that are seeking court approval to opt out of the plan, and from council members who are convinced that the contract is filled with millions of dollars in hidden costs.

Council approved the deal in September, but final passage will require council's approval of a $1.25-per-month surcharge. With three new members and mounting new complaints about the contract, the September vote appears headed toward reversal, several council members said yesterday.

Much of the discussion last night centered on SHL's other projects and -- like the 911 issue in Northampton County -- opinions are polarized.

On Tuesday, even as Los Angeles City Council was taking the first step in what some L.A. officials believe will be the end to the city's tortured seven-year relationship with SHL, New York City was flipping the switch on a $156-million, SHL-built 911 system it billed as the biggest and best in the world.

Even as New York City officials were celebrating a system that was on time and within budget, L.A. City Council unanimously voted to amend the SHL contract, forcing the company to finish its long-overdue project by April 30. At that point, the city will have the option to extend its relationship with SHL, but several city officials yesterday said it's an option not even being considered. In fact, some council members have said they intend to end their dealings with the company whether or not the system works.

"At the end of their contract, a significant amount of work will still need to be done before this system can operate," L.A.'s director of infrastructure strategy said yesterday. "I can't really comment on whether the company will be retained, but I will say that the city administrative officer's report outlines several options. Retaining SHL is not one among them," said Caprice Young.

SHL was given a 30-month, $12.6 million project to install a computer system to upgrade the L.A. Fire Department's outdated communications system. When the system was tested in 1992, it failed. Now, after four years of battling over a contract that ballooned to $21.2 million, L.A. officials hope it will be finished by April 30.

SHL spokesman Mike Paul said the company's West Coast Division embarked on the project without the necessary expertise and when the system crashed, SHL admitted its mistake and spent $12 million of its own money to fix it.

He also argued that the Robbinsville divisions -- unlike the West Coast Division -- is a team of communications experts that specializes in public safety systems.

Further, Paul said, reports that L.A. would be severing its relationship with SHL are false.

"SHL is confident that we relieved a lot of major fears tonight," Paul said. "...the citizens of this county deserve better, they deserve not to have to listen to partisan politics. They deserve accurate information."

However, despite a hard sell that included two videos, there was no indication SHL officials were able to swing council votes in favor of the plan.

"The only thing that's going to settle this is putting it out for competitive bid," Reibman said. "I don't know what we've been waiting for."